An examination of Romans 10:1-9 Romans 9 ended with Israel hanging by a thread, a remnant, skinned to the bone by discipline and broken by the stone of stumbling. And yet Paul/Shaul, by the Ruach ha-Kodesh, calls to his own people with great compassion as he continues to reveal the purposes of HaShem. “Ami—my people, brothers and sisters…”Jacob is a masculine name in Hebrew, Israel however is feminine; in addition Israel is called a wife to HaShem throughout the Tanakh. Therefore I have rendered, “their,” as, “her,” and “she,” throughout this passage. Shaul/Paul does not intend us to perceive his non-Messianic Jewish brothers and sisters as separate from him, which can be inferred by the translation, “their.” On the contrary, he is speaking as one who has new information to share, that will lead to Israel’s reconciliation—which is the goal of this dialogue.10:1 Ami (My people), Brothers and sisters (Fellow Jews), my heart’s deepest desire and my prayer to HaShem for Israel (our people) is for heryeshua (salvation);

Notice that when this text is translated from a Hebrew consciousness perspective, using the original Greek, into English; the meaning takes on a radically different tone to the anti-Semitism of some English translations. We are challenged to think differently, Shaul/Paul is no more an enemy to the Jewish people than the Messiah Himself; he is our brother and he speaks as a concerned brother, frankly and without judgement. Shaul/Paul is issuing a warning, not a condemnation. The Hebrew word for salvation is yeshua, thus Shaul’s deepest desire and prayer for Israel is for both her Messiah Yeshua and her yeshua (salvation). Word play is a Hebrew constant, it shouldn’t be trivialized or overlooked, Shaul is after all, a rabbi. Let us be clear that where ever Shaul/Paul uses the proper noun Israel throughout his writings, it always refers to the blood related ancestors of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; who are the root of the tree (Rom. 11:16-27) of Israel and Judaism. He does this to show G-d’s unwavering commitment to His own promises. If G-d is not committed to keeping His promises to the physical people of Israel, He is untrustworthy and therefore we have no hope as Gentiles.

2 for I can testify to her zeal for G-d. But it is not based on correct understanding;

Shaul/Paul understands Israel’s zeal, both for G-d and for His promises. Shaul/Paul himself was a practitioner of a flawed zeal prior to meeting Yeshua. He is not suggesting that zeal is wrong, he is simply suggesting that zeal which relies on legalistic human observance of man-made law is not the zeal G-d requires. There is a clear distinction between extra biblical human law and the Torah of G-d throughout this passage: one is not the same as the other and should not be perceived as such. It is zeal born of a false understanding that Shaul/Paul is addressing. If it were simply zeal for the Torah, why does he say, “The goal of the Torah is the Messiah”?3 for, since she’s unaware of G-d’s derach (way) of making people righteous and instead seeks to set up her own righteousness, she has not submitted herself to G-d’s derach (way) of making people righteous.

Why is Israel unaware of G-d’s way (derach)? We will find in the conclusion of Shaul’s discussion in chapter 11, that it is due to an intentional blindness which is purposed for the reconciliation of those among the nations who will receive G-d’s gift. This blindness is a national blindness, not an individual one. It remains that it is only by the revelation of the Ruach ha-Kodesh that anyone, Jew or Gentile, can receive the gift of G-d, Messiah our King. One of the things that prevents us seeing is our self-righteousness. When we work to earn G-d we work in vain. Another stumbling block for all humanity is our pride, our unwillingness to submit to G-d is an act of rebellion, which is the root of all sin. Therefore, being unaware is more than simply not knowing how we should respond to G-d; it is wilfully refusing what we know to be right. Rather than being blinded by the Torah, we are blinded by our own inclination and deep seeded rebellion. On the other hand, a single unveiled glance at the Torah will reveal Mashiyach. The early believers, both Jewish and Gentile were known as a Jewish sect called ha-derach (the way). It seems that Paul/Shaul is again making a word play here, using the way as both a p’shat (literal contextual statement) and as a noun.4 The goal of the Torah is the Messiah, who offers righteousness to everyone who trusts (emunah).

It is unfortunate that some translations use the verb, “end,” to translate the Greek, “telos,” because it can be so easily misunderstood to infer the cessation of the Torah if read as a noun. Telos is a goal, something to be aimed for; it is on this understanding that Shaul/Paul makes his argument for the right and zealous application of the Torah. Messiah is the one to be aimed for, He is the goal of the Torah (Instruction).“Now the goal of our mandate is love (ahava), (chesed) loving kindness, out of a pure core being (heart), and of a good conscience, and of an unpretentious faith.” –1 Timothy 1:5

5 For Moshe writes about the righteousness grounded in the Torah, that “the person who does these things will attain life through them.”(Leviticus 18:5)

“Then HaShemspoke to Moses, saying,2 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘I am HaShemyour G-d.3 You shall not dowhat isdone in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what isdone in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their appointed customs.4 You are to perform My judgments and keep My appointed customs, to live in accord with them;I am HaShemyour G-d.5 So you shall keep My appointed customs and My judgments,the person who does these things will attain life through them; I am HaShem.–Leviticus 18:1-5

Paul/Shaul again affirms the continued relevance of the Torah. His drash (illumination) here is claiming the Leviticus text as a promise of life to those who keep the Torah unto its goal, which is Messiah Yeshua (salvation). It is noteworthy that the two overarching instructions quoted by Messiah in Mark 12:28-31 are two of the most important appointed customs and judgements of the Torah. (1) “Love HaShem your G-d with all your heart, mind and soul.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) (2) “Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18). Both these commandments require emunah (trust), which is the catalyst that Shaul/Paul has already alluded to as being the inception of salvation through Messiah’s sacrifice. The concept of eternal life—related to the Olam haba (World to come)—based on a proper understanding of the Torah, is present in rabbinical literature.Rashi, referring to Leviticus 18:5 and quoting from the Sifra relating to Leviticus, says:“It refers to the Olam haba—World to come; for if you say it refers to Olam ha’zeh—this world, doesn’t everybody die sooner or later?” Before we read on we must first read Deuteronomy 30 in order to understand the p’shat (Contextual, historical) relevance of the quote Shaul/Paul uses to draw our attention to the unity (echad) of the Hebrew words; Kol (Voice, sound), Ketvi (writing), mitzvah (commanded actions) and D’var (Word) of G-d.D’VARIM/DEUTORONOMY 3030:1 “So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you,the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and youcallthemto mindin all nations where HaShemyour Elohim (G-d) has banished you,2 and youreturn to HaShemyour G-d andobey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons,3 then HaShemyour Elohim (G-d) willrestoreyou from captivity, and have compassion on you, andwill gather you again from all the peoples where HaShemyour Elohim (G-d) has scattered you.4 If your outcasts are at the ends of theearth,from there HaShemyour Elohim (G-d) will gather you, and from there He willbring you back.5 HaShemyour Elohim (G-d) will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you andmultiply you more than your fathers.6 “MoreoverHaShemyour Elohim (G-d) will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants,to love HaShemyour Elohim (G-d) with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.7 HaShemyour Elohim will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you.8 And you shall againobey HaShem, and observe all His mitzvot which I command you today.9 Then HaShemyour Elohim willprosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in theoffspring of your body and in theoffspring of your cattle and in theproduce of your ground, forHaShemwill again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers;10 if youobey HaShemyour Elohim to keep His mitzvot and His appointed customs whichare katav (Ketvi, written word) in this book of the Torah (Instruction),if you turn to HaShemyour Elohimwith all your levav (heart, core being) and nefesh (soul).11 “For this mitzvot (Yeshua) which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is itout of reach.12 It is not in heaven,that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it (Yeshua) for us and make us hear it (Yeshua), that we may observe it (Yeshua)?’13 Nor is it (Yeshua) beyond the sea,that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea (a metaphor for passing through death re: red sea) for us to get it (Yeshua) for us and make us hear it (Yeshua), that we may observe it (Yeshua)?’14 But the D’var (word, Yeshua) is very near you, in your mouth and in your core being (heart), that you may observe it (Yeshua).15 “See,I have set before you today life andprosperity, and death andadversity;16 in that I command you todayto love HaShemyour Elohim, to walk in His ways and to keep His mitzvoth (Yeshua) and His appointed customs and His judgments, that youmay live and multiply, and that HaShemyour Elohim may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.17 But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them,18 I declare to you today thatyou shall surely perish. You will not prolongyourdays in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enterand possess it (Crossing the Jordan is a physical metaphor for crossing into the Olam haba. Joshua/Yeshua leads us across).19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death,the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and yourdescendants,20 by loving HaShemyour Elohim, by obeying His kol (voice, Yeshua), andby holding fast to Him;forthis is your life and the length of your days,that you may live inthe land which HaShemswore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” The land sworn to by G-d for Avraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel is twofold: (1) The physical land of Israel (2) The Olam haba—World to come, the physical-metaphysical land of Israel.6 Moreover (that is, in addition to what has gone before), the righteousness grounded in trusting (emunah) says:“Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend to heaven?’” — that is, to bring the Messiah down — 7 or, “‘Who will descend into Sh’ol? (the holding place after death, within time. Not the grave, which is kever.)’” — that is, to bring the Messiah up from the dead. 8 What, then, does it say?“The d’var(word consciousness of G-d, not Ketvi, the written word) is near you, in your mouth and in your core being (heart).” (Deuteronomy 30:11–14)--that is, the d’var (word) of trust (emunah) which we proclaim, namely, 9 that if you acknowledge with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord and trust in your core being (heart) that G-d raised him from the dead, you will be saved (in Yeshua).